Anko's Mishap
by Mitarashi Anko
Summary: The mission she didn't want. The pain he didn't want for her. The outcome changes everything.


Anko sighed. The information she had been given was the last thing she wanted to hear. She had been assigned a mission involving the Sound, and in turn, Orochimaru. Her memories of them were ones that would keep anyone away for as long as possible. She was required to be a spy, watching for any suspicious movement within the village.

She sighed again. She knew the next obstacle was going to be a harder one to get past. Telling Kakashi. Ever since that night in the forest, he had been very protective of her, keeping her from doing things he considered too dangerous for her. She knew this would be one of those things. With Orochimaru in the village, she could quickly be rendered useless if she was seen. She hung her head, knowing that convincing him would be no easy task. She watched as a very distinct shadow drew near._ Well, speak of the devil. Here he comes now..._ She tried to fake a smile as he came over to her

"What're you hiding?" He asked, knowing exactly what it was.

"Why ask? You know very well what it is."

"Where is this mission headed to and what are you required to do?" He asked, wondering if she would tell him.

"Nowhere. It's nothing important." She said with a small sneer.

"Let me guess, Sound village?"

Anko didn't answer, knowing that she just given away him all the information he needed.

"Anko, you can't go on this mission. A small amount of chakra is all that's needed to incapacitate you with pain, therefore rendering you useless and making you an easy target. I'll go instead. You'll be safer here."

"You're talking to the woman who nearly took her life in the forest a few nights ago." She reminded him "You really think I'm afraid of death?"

He looked at her, hoping she realized the actual reason.

Anko rolled her eyes. She knew convincing him was going to be hard, but not this hard. She sighed, stood up and began to walk away, ignoring Kakashi's shouts to get her to come back. She would have to go behind his back. She looked up and saw him standing in front of her, startling her a little bit. She knew he was going to continue lecturing her about how she shouldn't go, but she knew she had to. She had to settle her dispute with Orochimaru once and for all. She had to end it all.

The next morning, Kakashi awoke and ran for Anko's apartment. He peeked into the window.

She was still home.

He let out a sigh of relief and headed back to his apartment.

Anko turned around, looking at her window. She knew Kakashi would drop his guard, giving her a chance to slip out to meet up with her team. She knew he would be furious when he found out that she left when he wasn't looking, but she also knew it was the only way to get out without anymore unnecessary 'lover's quarrels'. Right now, she wasn't sure how much she loved him. She just knew she was angry with him. He had her best intentions in mind, but she didn't always agree with his decisions, this being one of those times. She knew he was thinking of her when he gave her suggestions, but she also knew she had no say in those matters._ Oi, why does he have to be so cute? It would be so much easier if he weren't so charming... _She slipped out the front door and headed for the gate, where her team was waiting for her. She had thought of leaving one of those cheesy 'By the time you read this' notes, but she knew he would see right through that. She would just have to leave him hanging.

A few days later, Kakashi headed for the Hokage's office. He had been informed that she had a special mission for him. He wondered where Anko was. He hadn't seen her for a few days and he feared she had gone on the mission behind his back. He sighed as he opened the door.

"Ah, Kakashi. You're here. Your mission is a search and, if needed, rescue." Tsunade said, folding her hands under her chin.

"Where and who?"

"The forest in between the Sound village and here. I sent out a spy team and they should have been back by now."

"Who lead the team? Was it Anko?"

"No. She dropped out, so we put someone else in charge." She said, her thumb in her mouth.

He let out a sigh of relief; glad to hear some good news from Tsunade.

"Report back as soon as you can." Tsunade said, shooing him out the door.

Kakashi wondered what was going on. Tsunade usually didn't act like that. He believed that Anko was safe. He knew she had stayed; therefore, she was safe.

He ran out the front gate, and the smell that caught his nose when he walked into the forest was not a pleasant one. The scent of blood was thick in the air. He hoped that wasn't where he was going. He followed the scent for a while. It led him into a small clearing. Bodies of ninja from the Sound, Sand, and Leaf villages were strewn about. He recognized some of the bodies as people Tsunade had sent on the spy mission. They had been caught. Suna apparently was spying as well and had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He stepped back and looked up; trying to escape the gruesome sight when something very familiar caught his eye. A beige coat sleeve swayed in the breeze on a tree branch above his head. It was Anko's coat. He had been lied to.

He jumped onto the branch and nearly passed out from the sight he beheld. The gore beneath him had nothing on Anko's lifeless body. She had shuriken, kunai, and senbon strewn about her legs, neck, and torso. She was showing no signs of life. Two kunai in her shoulders were probably all that kept her standing. Her coat had slipped off one of her shoulders and was gently swaying in the breeze and her head was down. He lifted her chin to see if her eyes were open, hoping she was still alive. To his horror, he saw that her eyes were pale and gray.

She was dead. He pulled the kunai from her shoulders and laid her head on his lap as he sat down. He tried to hold back tears as he wondered what she could have done to deserve such a death. She stirred a little in his lap. She wasn't dead yet, but she wouldn't last much longer at this rate. He picked up her limp body and began to rush back to Konoha, hoping he would make it to the hospital in time.

He shot through the doors of the Konoha hospital, making everyone turn and stare at the bloody mess in his arms.

"We need a medic! Now!" One of the nurses shouted.

"I found Mitarashi Anko in the forest in this condition. Can she be saved?" Kakashi asked, getting really worried.

"If the medics can get to work on her right away, she may survive. God. This is worse than when Hyuuga Neji got himself into the mess with Kidomaru..." The nurse muttered.

"Where should I put her?" Kakashi asked, getting a little annoyed.

"The back room. Follow me!" A medic ninja said, beckoning for him.

Kakashi ran and set Anko down on the bed, staining the white sheets with her blood. "Can I stay?"

"No. We have to get to work on her immediately or you might as well plan her funeral."

Kakashi nodded and resentfully left the room. He had to go confront Tsunade.

He burst through the doors to the Hokage's office, still covered in Anko's blood.

"My word, Kakashi! What happened to you?" Tsunade asked, gawking at the bloody mess standing before her.

"Why did you lie to me? Anko's in the hospital and it's all because you assigned her to that mission! I thought you'd have sense enough to keep her away from Oto." He said, anger burning in his eyes.

"Mitarashi Anko? Is she alright?"

"She may not survive. The medics are trying the hardest they can to save her life. My question still stands. Why did you lie to me?"

Tsunade stared down at her winning lottery ticket with a sigh. "I knew something was wrong… You should be with her."

"The medics told me to leave. I'll check in on her later."  
"Tell them to let you in. Hokage's orders." She said, a guilty look crossing her face.

Kakashi didn't want to go back to the hospital in the condition he was in. He ran back home and got changed his clothes into something less bloody.

When he arrived at the door, a nurse greeted him. "Are you the one who brought Mitarashi Anko in?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "I have orders from the Hokage. She says to let me in, no matter what's going on."

"Right this way. You're Hatake Kakashi, aren't you?" She asked.

He nodded. He just wanted to get to Anko. He hoped all was well and she was out of the danger zone.

The room was full of tired medics; all trying their hardest to get her into stable condition. It made Kakashi sick, seeing her like this.

"Is she going to live?" He asked Sakura, who was standing by to take over when one of the others ran out of chakra.

"Honestly, Kakashi, we still don't know. She seems to be recovering, but we can't be sure of how much blood she lost or if any of her vitals were hit." Sakura admitted. "We did get the bleeding to stop, though."

Kakashi sighed. He hoped she made it. He sat in a nearby chair and fell asleep.

The next morning, the medics were still at work, along with Sakura.

"K-Kaka…shi…" A small mutter made Kakashi look up.

Anko was talking. It had taken almost a day, but she was talking.

"She's in stable condition. She's going to make it." Sakura informed Kakashi, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

He smiled, waiting for the medics to finish up before walking over to Anko and kneeling by her side. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly.

"You're insane, Anko. How did I fall for you?" He asked, taking her hand.

"You fell for me… because I keep you… on your toes." She whispered, her words soft and strained.

"Shh. Don't speak." He whispered. "When can she leave?"

Sakura smiled. "If you'll take care of her, she can leave now. Just let me bandage the wounds that didn't fully heal so they can't reopen."

Anko glared at Sakura as the younger kunoichi bandaged her wounds, causing her more pain than anything else. Sakura backed away as Kakashi helped Anko to her feet, placing her arm over his shoulders for support.

Anko playfully shoved him away and began to limp out of the door, laughing quietly as she did. Kakashi followed after her, smiling. He knew he didn't have to worry about Anko as much anymore. She could take care of herself.


End file.
